Each time I return house from a visit to certainly one of Audubon’s Western Water precedence websites, I’m energized by the extremely vital and impressive work Audubon and our companions are doing to handle water shortage and enhance hen habitats.
This week I went to Salt Lake Metropolis to satisfy with the Great Salt Lake Watershed Enhancement Trust (Belief) Advisory Council, the Nature Conservancy, and the Great Salt Lake Commissioner as we work collectively to guard the lake—to save lots of the lake—by securing water and enhancing wetlands. The Trust Advisory Council is made up of a number of the most vital Utah leaders with professions related to Nice Salt Lake. Their many views—from farming and wastewater therapy to mineral extraction and duck looking—make our work higher.
On the Belief Advisory Council assembly, members deliberated grant proposals for wetland protection and restoration projects to advocate funding in partnership with the State of Utah’s Forestry Hearth and State Lands. There are nonetheless some steps earlier than remaining choices are introduced this week however we’ve a number of new wetlands initiatives that may obtain funding to assist defend and restore wetlands habitat round Nice Salt Lake. This might deliver restoration of pure habitats and improved water management buildings to greater than 19,000 acres of wetlands in just some years. Beautiful work in a really brief time, fueled by the Utah State Legislature’s investment in the Trust. To not point out the water transactions adding inflows to Great Salt Lake on the Jordan, Weber, and Bear Rivers.
In our discussions and collaboration with the Commissioner’s Workplace, we’re working to leverage the state’s investments in Nice Salt Lake with federal and personal funds and amplify the efforts that may solely come from non-profit and authorities partnerships. In reality, final week, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) introduced that it’s going to invest $50 million for drought mitigation within the Nice Salt Lake Basin. The funding, from the Inflation Discount Act, can be utilized towards ecosystem restoration initiatives alongside the lake and to assist a water supply program aimed toward guaranteeing an ongoing and resilient water provide within the basin.
Sure, this work in western water is daunting. There’s not a day that goes by with out a information article on drought, long-term local weather impacts on water assets, groundwater depletion, elevated temperatures and decreased soil moisture, and on and on. And we all know these negatively influence birds too by way of drying lakes, rivers, and wetlands, diminished well being of habitats and different environmental stressors. That’s why our Audubon staff is making use of savvy expertise to guard water assets and habitats within the West.
Birds are telling us that Nice Salt Lake is simply too vital to fail. Ten million birds yearly depend upon Nice Salt Lake. Huge percentages of total populations of birds like Eared Grebe, Wilson’s Phalarope, and American Avocet depend upon Nice Salt Lake for his or her survival.
The dire situation of Nice Salt Lake didn’t occur in a single day. Saline lakes like Nice Salt Lake have dried up—shockingly—in places around the world, costing billions of dollars in misplaced jobs and economies, and affecting the well being of close by residents. And even with the launch of the Belief, we all know our efforts are certainly one of many options wanted to save lots of this wonderful and distinctive useful resource. And the funding wants are exponentially higher than the funding devoted to the lake.
What energizes me is the breadth of Audubon’s work to dive into these water crises for birds and communities. We’re not simply centered on the pressing want to enhance the well being of Nice Salt Lake. We have now groups working with companions to give attention to saving the Colorado River Basin and its Delta, the Salton Sea, the Rio Grande, and extra. A number of weeks in the past, Audubon testified earlier than Congress on Colorado River payments that assist wildlife habitat amid a altering local weather. Audubon’s specialists are trusted by authorities officers, the media, lecturers, and past.
Audubon leaders work on water coverage on the federal and state stage—participating and educating coverage specialists, serving to to craft and advocate for legal guidelines, funding, and laws that may enhance circumstances for birds. Linked to the birds of Nice Salt Lake, different saline lakes within the Nice Basin of the American West—like Mono Lake and Owens Lake in California and Lake Abert in Oregon—are included within the USGS scientific assessment for Saline Lakes. It’s a mixture of coverage and science that’s bringing consideration to this community of saline lakes.
On the Colorado River, we’ve lengthy advocated for a collaborative strategy throughout the basin. With a 2026 deadline looming for the expiration of current federal pointers for river operations, water provide and river habitats might be in danger—particularly with more and more arid years. To handle this, earlier this 12 months, Audubon joined with conservation companions in submitting our Cooperative Conservation Alternative to Reclamation for consideration. Cooperative Conservation is designed to enhance water provide reliability, present alternatives to make administration extra equitable, and create mechanisms to enhance environmental outcomes. We’re urging all Colorado River Basin events to contemplate our strategy as they proceed by way of negotiations.
In California this 12 months, we made a giant announcement about wetland protection legislation. And in New Mexico, lawmakers—with Audubon’s backing—appropriated an historic $300 million for water conservation, agriculture, and out of doors recreation. In Colorado, Audubon, working with many companions, joined state officers in offering technical experience to help legislators to create a state allowing and safety program—below the passed legislation HB24-1379 Regulate Dredge & Fill Activities in State Waters. This made Colorado the primary state within the nation to go laws that addresses the stream and wetlands safety hole created by the Supreme Courtroom of their 2023 Sackett vs. Environmental Safety Company resolution. The rule-making for this new legislation is underway to create a state program that works for Colorado’s intermountain semi-arid waterways. These are some examples of the coverage work we prioritize in Western Water.
Audubon additionally restores habitats at precedence websites, working with companions at Bombay Beach on the Salton Sea, with Elevate the River companions and the Cocopah Indian Tribe for the Colorado River Delta, alongside the center Rio Grande in New Mexico, with ranch companions throughout Colorado, and extra. At instances, Audubon develops habitat restoration plans with partners and shares water and wildlife administration steerage. We additionally have interaction restoration practitioners to know new laws and to develop and implement finest practices.
Audubon gathers bird survey data, enlisting the help of many volunteers, state wildlife businesses, and different biologists to achieve a greater understanding of what birds want and when. And our science specialists analyze this bird data to drive our conservation actions.
Audubon’s vital work to assist communities and birds thrive within the arid West builds in direction of long-lasting options to protect our surroundings and the individuals and economies that depend on these water assets for generations to return.
In fact we will do and must do extra. With Flight Plan, we’re aiming our sights greater. We all know there’s an influence in Audubon’s strategy and experience and that our progress trajectory is to take extra of those options that work to scale. And we will’t do it alone.
As we end out this 12 months and look to challenges forward, please be a part of Audubon’s efforts as a companion and supporter. There’s a job for everybody within the work that must be executed to guard and restore these water oases within the arid West. You’ll be able to join our network and assist us advocate for these options, sign up as a volunteer hen surveyor, donate, or get involved with your local Audubon chapter. I hope you discover inspiration and vitality on this unimaginable work too.
